Interracial couple denied marriage license in Louisiana

HAMMOND, La. - A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have.

Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist.

"I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house," Bardwell said. "My main concern is for the children."

Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said.

"I don't do interracial marriages because I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves," Bardwell said. "In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer."

If he does an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said.

"I try to treat everyone equally," he said.

Thirty-year-old Beth Humphrey and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

Humphrey told the newspaper she called Bardwell on Oct. 6 to inquire about getting a marriage license signed. She says Bardwell's wife told her that Bardwell will not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples.

"It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009," said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzman. "The Supreme Court ruled as far back as 1963 that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry."

The ACLU was preparing a letter for the Louisiana Supreme Court, which oversees the state justices of the peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and see if they can remove him from office, Schwartzman said.

"I don't do interracial marriages because I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves," Bardwell said. "In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer."

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They very likely might experience some adversity growing up as the children of an interracial couple in Louisiana. Children of black couples, hispanic couples, or white couples might as well. Children of alcoholics, people with inheritable diseases, people with criminal records, and any number of other factors could experience potential problems growing up as well. Since you're all about "treating everyone equally," judge, you should start denying marriage licenses to any couple where their children might possibly face adversity growing up, which means everyone.

Great message too, by the way. When something is wrong with the world, just accept it as the way things are and give up on trying to change it, and then force your own personal convictions and cowardice on others in the guise of protecting the children.

Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said.

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He mentions "black society" and "white society", as if they're two segregated, totally distinct things. And so what does he do? Support and reinforce the segregation by denying this couple. Doesn't he realize that maybe his society would be more willing to accept mixed-race children if he made an effort of demonstrating that blacks and whites are one society, not two? By denying the couple a licence he's contributing to the very problem he's using to justify denying the couple.

I grew up being taught that inter-racial relationships were of a questionable moral nature. By the time I reached my mid teens, however, I pretty much dropped the idea.

In any case, I reckon Gene Roddenberry would be proud.

His point isn't entirely wrong. When you mix unique cultures, it can mean conflict. Nevertheless, as seems pretty evident, it isn't the government's right to allow or disallow marriage based on its own definition of probable outcome. Using that standard, as Nocturnus of Bored was alluding to, there are lots of hypothetically unfit couples who are so for any number of non-racially involved reasons.

In my personal opinion, rednecks aren't particularly good parents, and children who grow up without culture while surrounded by old beer cans in the overgrown grass are at a disadvantage; but that doesn't mean that I have a right to deny marriage rights to 25% or more of the U.S. population.

Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said.

You'll have to excuse me, SPOCKED. I have personal business to attend to yesterday. This subject is affected on me, because I have mixed family and he's wrong for what's he doing to refused to marrying them.

That's the reason why I didn't have a spare time to discuss this thread to understand how important this affect on me, not just me, but everyone else.

Well, he says he just won't do it himself. I suppose one could argue he has the right to decide what he does and doesn't do. He suggests they go to another justice to have it done - I suppose that's fair enough. Though I suppose you could make a counter argument that he has a responsibility to do it as part of his job description, regardless of personal beliefs.

^^ Reminds me of those pharmacists who won't give out Birth Control Pills. If you're going to accept a job, you have to be willing to do it. But I don't really know much about JOPs and who they work for and how they're paid. Are they government employees or are they independent like a Notary Public? Do they take any kind of an oath?